Cybersecurity at FSV UK

Cybersecurity at FSV UK

Phishing attacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated and often target university accounts (CAS) with the aim of accessing sensitive data or the internal network of the university and faculties. That is why we have prepared a brief guide for you on what to do if a non-standard or suspicious email appears in your email inbox.

Before you click on a suspicious link or enter your password, stop and do the following quick check.

1. Domain check: Who is really writing to you?

Attackers often disguise themselves as “IT support”, “Dean's Office” or “Network Administrator”. However, the name displayed is fake, so it is important to check the real sender. Therefore, always look at the sender's address:

  • Faculty or university emails always end in @fsv.cuni.cz or @cuni.cz.
  • Consider emails with different endings as suspicious, for example, addresses such as podpora-fsv-cuni@gmail.com, admin@cuni-helpdesk.net, admin@o365.cuni.cz, etc.
  • WARNING! If the sender's name is, for example, "Rectorate of Charles University", but the email address does not correspond to the official domain @cuni.cz, it is a scam.

2. Check the link: the "Move over and don't click" rule

Even though the text of the email says, for example, "Log in to CAS", the link may take you to a fraudulent page that only looks similar to the university or faculty system.

How to verify the legitimacy of a link?

Move the mouse cursor over the link or button in the email text, but DO NOT CLICK. The actual target address of the link will be displayed in the bottom left of the browser, or in a bubble next to the mouse cursor.

  • The link is safe if the address starts with https://cas.cuni.cz/... or https://sis.cuni.cz/...
  • Suspicious or fraudulent links can look like this: http://login-cuni-update.com, bit.ly/rychle-heslo, fsv-verify.net, etc.

3. Beware of psychological pressure: Are they threatening you or rushing you?

The attacker wants to cause panic so that you quickly click on a fraudulent link or button or enter your sensitive data. If you see the following phrases in the email, be careful:

  • Your CAS account will be blocked in 24 hours.
  • Click immediately, otherwise you will lose access to SIS.
  • There has been a security breach, log in immediately.
  • Your mailbox is full, click here to increase capacity.

The faculty or university IT department does not communicate with employees in this or similar style and does not create a need for quick action without the possibility of further consultation or assistance.

What to do in case of doubt?

  1. Do not click on any links.
  2. Do not enter your password.
  3. Forward the suspicious email to the faculty IT department at google@fsv.cuni.cz. Our IT department will help you with further steps and confirm or deny the authenticity of the message.

Remember that the IT department at our faculty or university will never require you to send your password by email or force you to take immediate action under the threat of immediate account deletion, loss of data or access.

Thank you for your caution.